Tuesday, March 05, 2024

2024.3.5. Tiger 2 + 3

3/5, Tuesday. Went to visit Jakob again, and hiked to Tiger 3 and then Tiger 2.

I was surprised that the snow level is so low. At ~1000', it was all snow. I didn't bring any traction device or gaitors. So, slow going, in order not to slip. Other hikers I saw today are half half. Some are like me: ill prepared.

Snow covered the ugly stumps on the summits. Looked much prettier. But it was cloudy today, so no view of distant mountains: no Rainier nor Olympics. Clear view of downtown Bellevue and Seattle, Lake Washington.

Sunday, March 03, 2024

2023.3.3. Clam digging

3/3, Sunday, drizzle, cloudy. Took a ferry across Puget Sound. My first time ever out digging for clams, and picking oysters, with moderate success. About half a dozen folks out on this gloomy yet fresh day, in the mud at low tide. It was a bit chilly. Clams are not so easy to find. Also they are full of mud. Oysters are easy (different spot), but needs to shell them onsite: so it's challenging.

Set in the Home Depot 5-gallon pot for a whole day before cooking. Still a lot of sand. Need more sea water to cleanse the mud. Tasty though. Money wise, not worth the trip: ferry costs over $40 for 2 people. But it was fun. Need to find a good spot on this side of the water.

Saturday, January 20, 2024

2024.1.20. Quixote Nuevo at Seattle Rep

1/20, Saturday, 7:30pm. A new play, Quixote Nuevo, at Seattle Rep.

Aging Cervantes professor Jose Quijano has dimentia. When his family tries to move him to an assisted living facility, Jose embarks on a fantastic trip in the Texas desert to search for his lost love and the sad buried reality.

I like the song and dance, great costumes, good acting and dialogue (especially Pancho). However, I couldn't make out half the words, Spanglish. The theme should be trimmed a bit. A bit messy as is. The bar owner's daughter? The make-believe of dressing up as Dulcinea? The finger in the pickle jar? The devil can also be cut out.

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

2024.1.17. Amber Liu and Marielle Kraft at Crocodile

1/17, 8pm, Crocodile hosted the first show of K-pop star Amber Liu's 2024 tour No More Sad Songs. I'd never heard of her. My friend DZ + KK would drive here for the concert, so I said I'd join them. The venue is only a couple of blocks from my home, but I'd never been inside.

Bought a ticket from the box office. $2.75 service charge. Online the fee is ~$11. Yak!

They search your bag at the door. I brought a thermo cup, and it was "held" at the door. My ticket says "general seating". It turns out there's no seating. There's a stage, a bar, and then empty space where audience stand. The very few bar stools were long taken by the time I arrived.

Marielle Kraft started soon after 8pm. An indie song writer based in Nashville. She introduced the background of her songs. Every song is like a short story. I like her. She plays guitar, her band has an electric guitar and a drummer.

Then a very long break, long enough to remind me that I'm too old to stand this long. We are, maybe the oldest people here.

Finally, Amber got on stage. She sings and she jumps. She and 2 dancers at front stage, accompanied by an electric guitar, a keyboard, a drummer. They are full of energy. I did enjoyed her performance, except my back.

2024.1.17. Techstar Demo Day

1/17, Wednesday MOPOP. I have a ticket to the presentation at 4pm. However, when I arrived, they said that the theatre was full. I was told that the museum was open. So I went up, but no, only 2 rooms were open. I chatted with the security guy from Gdanisk Poland. He said he's a writer.

The demo and reception starts at 6pm. I returned at 6:30. I attended this portion last year. This year, less options of food, plenty though (port slider, waffle + fried chicken, falafel round, spanakopita, jackfruit cake), no desert. Drink is no longer free.

About 20 teams showcased their products. More Indian founders. Quite a few use AI. Below are a list that I visited (ordered by my visit):
  • Inquisio: retrieves construction documents permits
  • Easy Platter: hires a chef to cook in your own kitchen
  • Trellis Health: health of the family: kids health and their parents
  • Canopy: a new social media network
  • Visionify: workplace monitor
  • Care Copilot: helps to care for your loved ones
  • Planette: forecasts enviromental events by using oceanography data
  • Chassy: release management from code to hardware